Apparatus for recovering solvent vapors from air, &amp; c.



' A. COLLARD. APPARATUS FOR REGOVERING SOLVENT VAPOBS FROM AIR, 1&0.

APPLICATION FILED B20 31, 1909.

Patnted Sept. 12,1911.

plates provided with superposed caps.

ANTQINE C'OL'LARD, or MO'L'ENBEEK, NEAR. BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

APPARATUS ron nncovniune sotvmr vArons mom cw.

moaosa Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12', "1 911.

Application filed December 21,1909. seriai 110.5342886.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ANTOINE COLLA D, a subject of the King of-Belgium,residing at Molenbeek, near Brussels, Belgium, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Apparatus for Recovering Solvent Vapors fromAir, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to apparatus for the recovering of by-products'which are contained in the state of vapor or gases from artificial silkworks, smokeless powder and nitroglycerin works, and the like. appartusis directed chiefly to the recovery of such by-products as ether,alcohol, acetone, and the like, these substances being employed assolvents in the manufactures above indicated.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherebythese valuable by-products may be completely recovered. l

The apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Thenumeral 1 indicates a collector adapted to receive the air containingthe gases or vapors to be recovered. This collector may consist of asuitable horizontal cylinder or other vessel, and is .provided in itssides with a suitable number of sight openings 2. The collector 1 isprovided at one of its ends with an opening 3 for the admission of theair containing the by-products which are to be recovered. The otherend'of the collector is connected at 1 with the bottom part of therecovering column 5. Situated above the collector 1 is a solventcollector 6, connected'with a solvent filter 7 which latter is connectedwith the elevated solvent vat 8. The collector 6 is provided with aseries of atomizers 9 which open into the collector 1 and into the lowerpartof the recovering column 5, and distribute a suitable solvent intointimate contact with the gaseous mixture which enters the collector,the solvent to be chosen according to the byproduct which it is desiredto recover. The recovering column 5 contains a seriessof ituated abovethe recovering column 5 is a second solvent vat 10, which contains thesame solvent as that contained in the vat 8. The solvent vat 10 isconnected with the re covering column 5 by means of a pipe or The duct11. The column 5 contains coils of pipe within its interior for thepurpose of cooling the contents of the column 5, the cooling actionbeing controllable as desired. Thermometers which will indicate thetemperature of the contents of the column 5 are also inserted in saidcolumn. The upper part of the column 5 is connected by a bent pipe 11with a .gas washer 12.- The latter contains a plurality of baflle plates1-3, .and carries at its top a tubular collector 15, which latter isconnected by means of pipes 16 with atomizers 14 contained within thewasher 12. .T-hese atomizers 1 1 serve to atomize a solvent introducedinto the washing apparatus 12. The collector 15 is connected by a pipe17 with a solvent filter 18, which in turn is connected with a .solventvat 19 placed above it. The washer 12 is provided at one end with anescape pipe20 vided with suitable .pressure gages, 23. The

bottom of the washing apparatus 12 is connected by a pipe 24 with a vat25 for the enriched liquid, and a pipe 26 which descends from vat 25connects the latter with a recovering apparatus 27. The enriched liquidentering apparatus 27 is heated therein and is distributed therefrom, bymeans of a .pipe 29, to the exhausting column 30, which'carries at itstop the rectifying apparatus 31. The pipe 28 leads the liquid whichescapes in a boiling state from the column 30 into the recoveringapparatus 27, where it serves to raise'the temperature of the liquidwhich enters apparatus 27 from the pipe 26. By this means a great savingof fuel is had.

32 designates a steamregulator.

The base 33 of the recovering column 5 is connected by means of a pipe 31 with the distilling and rectifying apparatus 35 which latter isconnected with -a steam controller the pipes 44 with the coolingapparatuses 45 and 46. The bottom mixture.

art of the latter apparatuses is connected y mefans of pipes 47 and 48with the columns 31 and respectively.

49 and 50 represent ipes or ducts which convey the liquid to t e gages39, and 38v respectively. 3

The operation of the apparatus is .as follows :The gaseous mixturecontaining byproducts such as ether, alcohol, acetone, and the like aredriven by meansof a suitably disposed air pump into thecollectingvvessel 1. The atomizing devices 9 produce an intimate mixtureof solvent which is delivered from the vat 8, with the said gaseous Themixed solvent and gaseous mixture passes through the pipe 4 into contactwith 'the column of absorbent liquid which is discharged into therecovering apparatus 5 from the vat 10, and the temperature of themixture is controlled according to the requirements. This absorbentliquid flows in an opposite direction to the direction of flow' of thegaseous mixture; it falls in the form of a spray or shower and takes upand retains the volatile and" soluble matters carried by the gaseousmixture. The thus enriched absorbent liquid or solvent is collected inthe lower part 33 of the recovering column 5, it having been kept at adesired temperature by means of the coiled pipes hereinbefore referredto.

The gases continue their passage through 35 the bent pipe 11, by whichthey are led into the washing apparatus 12, where they are subjected tothe action of another atomized solvent which is delivered into thewashing apparatus 12 from the solvent vat 19. The gases are furtherintimately mixed with the atomized solvent by means of the baffle plates13 herein-before referred to. The solvent which is delivered from saidvat 19 takes up the last traces of the by-products which areto berecovered from the gaseous mixture and of the solvent carried away fromthe column 5, the solvent from vat 19 v circulating freely in thewashing apparatus 12 in a direction opposite that of the travel of thegaseous mixture and in proportions which may be controlled at will. Theenriched liquid flows into the vat 25, whence it descends by means ofthe pipe-26 into the heat recovermg apparatus 27. From said apparatus 27the liquid enters the exhausting column 30, and there undergoes boiling,

produced either by means of steam or by any other evaporating means. Theva ors produced during such ebullition pass into the rectifier 31, fromwhich they pass into the condenser 43 and a refrigerating apparatus 46,by which means they are liquefied. The thus recovered solvent .is thenpermitted to flow oif through the pipe 49 into a gage '39 wherethe'amount is measured. A certain amount of the regen-' erated solventmay be permitted to return into the rectifier 31 by means of pipe 47.

The liquid charged with the by-products recovered from the column 5flows off through the pipe 34 into the rectifier 35, where it undergoesboiling by means of steam admitted from apparatus 36. Thereafter, theproductto be recovered is passed 'into the condenser 42 andrefrigerating apparatus 45. The thus regenerated liquid is allowed toflow off by means of the ipe 50 into the gage 38 where the amount ofescaping liquid is controlled and .the excess not allowed to escapepasses through the pipe 48 into the apparatus 35.

The part of the fractionated liquid which is not evaporated is conveyedby means of pipe 37 into the exhausting column 30, and

is added to the liquid which is boiling within the said column. Here theliquid is freed from the last' traces of volatile products and escapesthrough the pipe 28.

1. A system for the recovery of by-products from gaseous mixtures,comprising a vessel into which the gaseous mixture passes, atomizersarranged to deliver solvent into said vessel, a recovering apparatusarranged to receive said gaseous mixture and atomized solvent, means fordelivering further quantities of solvent into said recovering apparatus,a washing apparatus arranged to receive the gaseous mixture escapingfrom said recovering apparatus, atomizers arranged to deliver solventinto said washing apparatus, means for the escape from said washingapparatus of the gases from which the byproducts have been separated, arectifyin apparatus arranged to receive the enrich liquid from saidwashing apparatus, means for causing the distillation of the liquidwithin said rectifying apparatus, a condenser and refrigeratingapparatus arran d to receive the vapors from said rectifying apparatus,a second rectifying apparatus connected with the lower part of saidrecovering apparatus and arranged to receive the enriched liquidtherefrom, means for causing the distlllation of the liquid within saidrectifying ap aratus, and a second condenser'and re igeratlng apparatusconnect-' ed with said rectlfying apparatus.

' 2. A system for the recovery of by-products from gaseous mixtures,comprising a vessel into which the gaseous mixture passes,

atomizers arranged to deliver solvent into i said washing apparatus, arectifying appacovering apparatus, means for controlling the temperaturewithin said recovering apparatus, a washing apparatus arranged toreceive the gaseous mixture escaping from said recovering apparatus,atomizers arranged to deliver solvent into said washin apparatus, meansfor the escape rom said washing apparatus of the gases from which theby-products have been separated, baflle plates arranged within ratusarranged to receive the enriched liquld from said washing apparatus,means for causing the distillation of the liquid Within said rectifyingapparatus, a condenser and refrigerating apparatus arranged to receivethe vapors from said rectifying apparatus,

a gage for controlling the amount of liquid escaping from saidrefrigerating apparatus,

a second rectifying apparatus connected with the lower part of saidrecovering apparatus and arranged to receive'the enriched liquidtherefrom, means for causing the dis tillation of the liquid within saidrectifying apparatus, a second condenser and refrigerw ating apparatusconnected with said rectifying apparatus, and a second gage forcontrolling the amount of liquid escaping from said second namedrefrigerating apparatus,

' substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

ANTOINE COLLARD. Witnesses:

S. M. SUDLoK, GREGORY PHEIIAN.

